# Todd Howard Addresses “Fan Chatter” About Bethesda-Obsidian Rivalry Conspiracies

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/todd-howard-addresses-fan-chatter-about-bethesda-obsidian-rivalry-conspiracies/
- Published: 2026-07-17T18:30:02+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-02T07:18:18+00:00
- Original publisher: GameSpot
- Original article: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/todd-howard-addresses-fan-chatter-about-bethesda-obsidian-rivalry-conspiracies/
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming

## Key points

- Todd Howard denies rumoured Bethesda-Obsidian rivalry, calling it fan speculation.
- Rumours stem from New Vegas narrowly missing its 2010 Metacritic bonus target.
- Obsidian is currently developing another Fallout game with Bethesda.

## Summary

Bethesda's Todd Howard has publicly dismissed long-running fan speculation that his studio and Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment harbour some kind of rivalry or animosity. Speaking in a recent interview, Howard described such "fan chatter" as unfounded, insisting there is instead "a huge amount of mutual respect" between the two studios behind the scenes. The comments matter because the alleged feud has circulated among Fallout fans for years and has coloured perceptions of how the two companies collaborate on the franchise.

The rumoured tension traces back to 2010, when Obsidian developed Fallout: New Vegas under a bonus arrangement tied to a Metacritic score target of 84; the game narrowly missed that mark due to technical issues, costing the studio a reported $1 million bonus despite widespread critical praise for its writing and design. Howard said the two companies are "always kind of wondering if we could find a way to work together in the right way," and Obsidian figures such as Chris Avellone have previously confirmed there was no lasting grudge over the missed bonus. The renewed comments come as Obsidian continues work on a new Fallout title, underlining the studios' ongoing collaborative relationship.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.